Five of the City’s cultural treasures

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Zoe Strimpel

London Metropolitan Archive, Northampton Road, Clerkenwell
This is a true treasure trove – archive heaven for anyone interested in the City’s fascinating history. It’s got an extraordinary range of collections and records about the capital, and also runs a wide selection of talks, guided tours, film screenings and exhibitions. The archive is one of the oldest, most complete and wide ranging civic archives in the world. It dates from 1067, with a Charter of William I, and traces the history of the City through a thousand years, encompassing civil war, fire and other unrest. The City’s unique role in national life with its traditional ceremonial role and emergence in the twentieth century as a leading local authority is documented here. cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma

Goldsmiths’ Hall, Foster Lane, St Paul’s
Goldsmiths’ Hall is the official home of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, one of the City’s 12 livery companies. Rebuilt in 1835, it is the third Hall on this site. Founded to regulate the craft or trade of the goldsmith, the Goldsmiths' Company has been responsible since 1300 for testing the quality of gold, silver and, from 1975, platinum articles. Indeed, the Trial of the Pyx (testing the metallic composition of coins from the Royal Mint) dates back to the 12th century. The Hall also hosts wonderful, if niche, exhibitions: the current one is Gold: Power and Allure, 4,500 years of gold treasures from across Britain. thegoldsmiths.co.uk

London Symphony Orchestra, St Lukes, Old St
An 18th century Grade 1-listed Hawskmoor church on Old Street, LSO St Lukes is an exquisite alternative to the Barbican (the LSO’s headquarters) and a hive of non-stop musical activity. It’s home to the UBS and LSO Music Education Centre as well as LSO St Lukes and LSO Discovery, ensuring an incredibly diverse stream of projects and concerts is always in house. LSO St Lukes holds weekly lunchtime concerts as well as evening performances with the best from the chamber music and orchestral worlds as well as funky modern work such as break dancing and Norwegian goat horn music. lso.co.uk/visitinglsostlukes

Bishopsgate Institute, Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street
Near Liverpool Street, this impressive building is home to a huge variety of courses and events, from yoga to French, and has a library with world-renowned collections on London history, labour and socialist history, protest and campaigning. Current courses include creative writing, belly dancing, and introductory European art history. Events range from scriptwriting to architectural tours of the Grade II listed building. A centre of learning in the Square Mile. bishopsgate.org.uk

Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, Fleet Street
The theatre, which offers fun lunchtime shows (bring a picnic), is part of the St Bride Foundation, which was established in 1891 to meet the social and cultural needs of a community working within the flourishing print industry. Although the printing presses have moved away, the Foundation remains a Fleet Street institution, and includes exhibition spaces, a theatre, educational centre and one of the most significant collections of typography and historical printed reference in the world. Situated in the narrow streets surrounding St Bride’s Church, it’s an atmospheric, charming venue – look out for David Copperfield performed by the Tower Theatre Company, 24-28 July. stbridefoundation.org/bridewelltheatre